Gates Lear Jet CORP. 36 accident near Newport News, Virginia, November 30, 2022
On November 30, 2022 at about 12:35 pm local time, a 1975 Gates Lear Jet CORP. 36, registered N12FN, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Newport News, Virginia (Newport News/Williamsburg Intl airport). It was a public-use flight (federal) under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A left main landing gear tire rupture during takeoff, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 30, 2022 · about 12:35 pm local time
- Place
- Newport News, Virginia · Newport News/Williamsburg Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Gates Lear Jet CORP. 36 NO SERIES, built 1975 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N12FN · registry record · serial 016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight (federal) · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot-in-command (PIC) reported hearing a “boom” during the takeoff just before reaching V1 and a second “boom” just as he called out V1. The second-in-command (SIC), who was the pilot flying, called to abort the takeoff. Both suspected they had blown tires. They attempted to slow the airplane, but the there was no braking action. The drag chute was deployed but the airplane continued off the end of the runway, traveled through the runway end lights, and into the grass. During the accident sequence, the drag chute separated from the airplane and was located on the runway. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed that the left main landing gear tire had ruptured and pieces of the tire and the left brake system assembly were found along the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing during the accident. According to the operator’s operations manager, the airplane’s tire pressures should have been checked at least every 7 days. When the tire pressures were checked about 2 weeks before the accident, the left inboard tire pressure was low. Air was added to the tire and the airplane was returned to service. The tire pressures were not documented since that entry. A mechanic from the operator stated the tire pressures were checked the day before the accident, and “the pressure was within limits set forth” by the manufacturer. In addition, the mechanic stated that no maintenance entry was made since no corrective action was needed. Although the mechanic stated he checked the tire pressure the day before the accident, the tire pressured was not checked on the day of the accident, as recommended by the airframe manufacturer. Given this information, it could not be determined whether or not the tires were appropriately inflated at the time of the accident. It is likely, that when the left main landing gear tire ruptured, the tire tread damaged the left main landing gear brake assembly as well as the hydraulic line in the left wing that was ruptured. Subsequently, the hydraulic fluid drained from the system, and the brake system was ineffective due to a lack of hydraulic fluid, and resulted in the flight crew’s inability to stop the airplane on the runway.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Tire casing › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 22,700 hours in all; 438 in this make and model; 76 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 9, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 8,873 hours in all; 1,303 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 4,421 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20,693 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, April 30, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 19,600 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garret TFE731-2-2B (turbojet); 20,984 hours total
- Engine 2: Garret TFE731-2-2B (turbojet); 10,704 hours total
- Operator: Aery Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 8,003 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 am from PHF, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPHF 301254Z 18007KT 10SM -RA BKN035 BKN043 OVC065 13/12 A3004 RMK AO2 RAB18 SLP170 P0001 T01330122
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA23LA075.